INDEPENDENCE: Intercollegiate Fellowship

February 6, 2026

The theme of INDEPENDENCE guided the Black Student Union Intercollegiate Fellowship performance as each fellow explored identity, culture, ancestry, and artistic truth through music and spoken word. INDEPENDENCE emerged not only as personal freedom, but as self-evolution, resilience, and connection to community.

Dee Giles opened her performance with her original composition Far From Over and a recitation of Regina Harris Baiocchi’s poem When. Her work centered on how her Blackness shaped her self-evolution as both an artist and an individual. Giles reflected on experiences of feeling exposed and unsafe in predominantly white spaces, particularly after realizing that some people perceived her presence as threatening. At one point, she stopped playing her instrument, believing those experiences were connected to her music. Through reflection and research on Black identity, she learned to stand firmly in her truth and recognize those who genuinely supported her. Her performance of Florence Price’s Adoration became a full-circle moment, where she reclaimed confidence in both her tone and identity.

Imani Armstrong followed, performing on clarinet and bass clarinet, and reflecting on the idea of being “independent together.” She shared how she was once told she would never make it into college, yet went on to earn a full scholarship to an out-of-state university. Through music, she found community with others on similar journeys, discovering that INDEPENDENCE does not mean isolation.

Jean-Claude Belizaire presented Love Letter, a work rooted in Haitian culture, upbringing, and lived experience during turbulent times in Haiti. His performance emphasized staying grounded in truth, identity, and cultural heritage while navigating personal and collective challenges.

Shileta Peregrino Cezario explored ancestry, legacy, and hope through Good News and her final composition Be Free. Honoring the gospel traditions of her grandmother and great-grandmother, she reflected on freedom in identity, creativity, and becoming.

Together, the fellows revealed INDEPENDENCE as courage, authenticity, and the ongoing journey of becoming oneself while remaining rooted in legacy and community.